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Chocolate Guinness Cake and Where I've Been

Welcome to April. I literally haven't posted a word since January. I think I started one post, but even that was probably in February. School has just kinda taken over my life. As much as I thought homework was crazy, now that I'm researching, I've realized that homework has a finite endpoint. Research does not. So, basically, I've been researching. Math. That's been my life.

I will admit, I haven't done a ton of cooking. I've done some baking (you can't keep me from my baking). But being home for dinner two nights a week, and one of those being our weekly takeout night, and weekends being busy mean there's not been much chance to cook.

I did find what I thought was a pretty awesome split pea soup recipe. The first time I made it, it came out great! The second time, a bunch of peas burned to the bottom of the pot, I realized that even with new parts, my stick blender was not in working order, and I sliced my thumb on a potato. AGAIN. And yes, it was the same thumb. But this time there was no ER visit or stitches. (Thank goodness!) I am looking forward to having my thumb back in fully working order again, though.

I made some speckled hard boiled eggs for Easter by simply shaking eggs in a cup with lentils and a few drops of food coloring! (Thanks for the idea, mom!)

We celebrated π day a day early with KEB and JB with a "trifecta" pie! It was peanut butter and chocolate with a pretzel crust! KEB also made hand pies for dinner. On actualπ day, KEB and I got pizza pie and . . . waffle sundaes. I mean, they're still round? Oh, and we met Sally from Sally's Baking Addiction!

Ice cream for breakfast day!! (icfbd!)

NES and I have gotten more proficient at ice cream making (we hope!). NES made me awesome Earl grey and lavender ice cream for Valentine's day!

I knit an elephant, a yoda, a corgi, and a Shaun the sheep! I'm learning to knit!

Oh, and I had a birthday in there. Didn't mom and dad do an awesome job decorating my cake?

Speaking of birthdays, KEB's is coming up! I found a recipe for a Guinness chocolate cake, and while KEB isn't a big beer fan, I thought she'd like a deep, dark chocolate cake! And what can be wrong with something that has chocolate and cream cheese frosting?

The recipe made one 9 inch springform pan, so I decided to make two, just so we'd get a double layered cake, as usual. It ended up really tall! Oops. Hope everyone is hungry for cake!

It was really quite easy to make, even if cooking beer with sugar and cocoa felt a bit weird! It was also a little weird making a cake in a saucepan! It smells really good, so hopefully it tastes just as good!

Also, for the frosting, I used the recipe's suggested frosting, and it made an entirely adequate frosting (although I doubled it so I'd have enough for the double layer), but I may use my old standby in the future!

I love to bake. And make cupcakes. And take pictures. I like cooking, too.
But I'm in grad school, and math is my life. I am also a new wife. NES is my new co-conspirator, at least for cooking! And I have someone to bake for! We also finally have our own real kitchen! I cook and bake when I can. I thought that time was tight in college, but I'm learning there are different definitions of lack of time. Thyme is my favorite herb, though. So it all evens out?